EDITION OF TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Before we get to the “nobody’s asking about Addy” 
story, let me tell you that The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a story about the disappearance of the “Homeless Christmas Tree” — a community yuletide tradition just west of Oakland atop a hill on the northside of I-30. The tree (that’s a picture from Texas Country Reporter’s recent happier episode), has been decorated for decades and seen by millions of travelers through the years. It has suddenly vanished. Here’s the LINK to reporter Gordon Dickson’s Star-Telegram story on the mysterious removal of the original tree and its successor tree.
Lots of TV newscasts have spotlighted the tree, lots of newspaper columnists have written about it and Texas Country Reporter, Bob Phillip’s great show, featured it during this 2020 Christmas season.
Yet, this Fort Worth tradition is gone like it was in the way of a Dallas developer’s parking lot project. More to come on the “who did it and why," we suspect. And hope. What PR firm is going to get to explain that mistake?
BACK TO THE SUBJECT
OF ADDY AND HER NEEDS
We posted the story of Addy in our previous edition. From Amy Poskey, our veteran Denton tipster, we learned that Addy 
needs a home, that she was in a cruelty case and that she’d bitten someone.
Amy issued a follow-up notice about Addy on Tuesday. And it’s worth reading if you’re on the fence about adopting this beautiful German Shepherd. Amy wrote, “Some of you have asked why Addy was a cruelty case and why she has been labeled ‘dangerous’ so I would like to provide more info on this beautiful girl.
“Addy was a cruelty case cuz she was living in unsanitary conditions in her outside enclosure with no dog house/shelter and the entire area was covered with feces. She was deemed ‘dangerous’ cuz she bit a person who was trying to break up a dog fight. Well, I’ve been bitten many times while trying to intervene in a dog fight but that was my fault, not the dogs. So, in my opinion, just because Addy doesn’t like other dogs doesn’t mean she is dangerous. Addy loves humans, including children, and she deserves a second chance! Just look at that ginormous smile and you can see the sweetness exuding from her happy face!”
The 59-pound, healthy, 2- to 4-year-old girl is #90938 at the Denton Shelter. Call 940-349-7594 to reach the Linda McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center. It’s at 3717 N. Elm St. in Denton.
SOME HAPPINESS ARRIVES
THANKS TO BARKLEYWORLD
We’ve written many times about the work of barkleyworld.com, the non-profit started by Karen Lee 
and husband Dennis in honor of their dog Barkley. They provide financial help for tough cases. Does that work? Here’s the sentence posted by Juliet Lopez Garcia: “Barkleyworld, we are forever in ur debt. U saved our baby!”
That baby is this guy Chuckie — festive Chuckie! What was his problem? Just before Christmas, the family dog Chuckie decided to eat some stuff a dog shouldn’t eat and took in a bone that fouled his system dramatically. The vet work was going to be expensive and 
Barkleyworld, whose mission is to help animals, answered the appeal. The result is Chuckie is healthy.
You can read all about this Chuckie “adventure” — and other projects — by going to Barkleyworld’s Facebook site HERE and reading through the stories. It’ll make you happy to be on the same planet with people who have good hearts and have been working on helping to finance miracles for the season! And for the next season. And the next. …
CONTEMPLATIONS
TIMING FOR RUFFLES; A VOICE FOR GREYHOUNDS; PLANNING AN EVE…
Timing is lousy sometimes. And, in the case of Ruffles, it’s something to contemplate. We learned about him from one of our steady tipsters, Mesquite Animal Services volunteer biographer Debra Chisholm. Ruffles, a Bichon Frise mix, was surrendered to the shelter on the 23rd. Why? The surrender form read that Ruffles was "too old, going blind, hard of hearing.” [LARRY ASIDE: If I was married to that person, I’d be out on my ear like Ruffles!]
Ruffles’ human for the past 8 years has medical issues and can’t care for the 15-year-old, 32-pound dog. Ruffles has his own problems — going blind, lost hearing and has arthritis in one leg. He’s been an indoor dog forever. Likes kids but not cats. Walks well on a leash. Debra wrote, “He’s a lively boy for 15 years.” He’s friendly and loving and, Debra writes, “This senior doesn’t belong in a city shelter.” He’s rescue-only because of his medical issues. He may already have been moved out of the shelter, but just in case, his ID# is 46318545 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. That is quite a cute dog. He’s in need of a quite a good human heart.
HEADS UP FROM THE GREYHOUND PEOPLE! I’ve written about the Greyhound Adoption 
League of Texas for years. Those great dogs sometimes find themselves in really tough spots. But, there are people who work hard on their behalf. For instance: Dallas Mavericks basketball and FC Dallas soccer broadcaster Mark Followill has a fantastic message about the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas — he and wife Jennifer have invested their hearts in Greyhounds, as you’ll see when you click on Mr. Followill’s post HERE If you think finding a place for displaced Washington administration employees is tough, listen to the challenges that will face Greyhounds in 2021 as Florida shuts down dog racing. The GALT website is galtx.org.Yeah, they run fast, but not always. One guy at a Greyhound adoption years ago told me, “Greyhounds are notorious couch potatoes.” Don’t know about you, Dear Readers, but I find comfort in watching sports with a dog or cat who nods off when our team is coughing up a hairball. …
What I’ve learned from Holiday Insights, the online calendar. December 29 is “Pepper Pot Day.” How’s that? It’s a day that honors the “warm and hearty” stew that, the Insights people say, “was first made to serve the Continental Army on Dec. 29, 1777.” FYI: December 30 is “Natonal Bicarbonate of Soda Day.” As in “This indigestion is killing me. Fix me a bicarb, will ya?” No known marketing connection between a Pepper Pot and a Bicarb.
—- Offer ideas or objections by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-
